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Smokin' Szele Indicted by Federal Grand Jury

Christina Szele, the enraged passenger who allegedly punched a flight attendant after he snatched a lit cigarette from her lips, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver. They say there's enough evidence to prosecute on the original charges of assault and interference with a flight crew--and the jury adds that another charge of assault is in order for Szele's behavior toward a second FA.

The US attorney in the case, Troy Eid, says he's not afraid to make an example of Szele, who authorities say caused such a ruckus that the pilot on her flight had to make an unscheduled stop at Denver International to toss her.

The "anything-goes-on-an-airplane" culture must end. Mess with a commercial flight crew and expect to face the consequences.

And consequences there certainly may be: If found guilty of the interference charge, Szele faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000!

Related Stories:
· Press Release about the Indictment [Official DOJ Site]
· Nicotine Fiend Flips out on JetBlue [Jaunted]
· Bad Seatmates coverage [Jaunted]